Submitted by Sam Smith on
Kobe Bryant vs Michael Jordan - 2011
Sunday Oct, 2011 2:22 PM | by The Blitz (Contributed by: Bruce Blitz)
First of all folks, let me say that in my opinion this shouldn’t even be needed if you watched Michael Jordan’s career and have seen Kobe’s so far. With that being said, the facts in this article were current as of the conclusion of the 2010-2011 season. I update this every year.
Jordan was by far more consistently dominant and effective, that it’s really a true insult that this is needed. Thank the media and certain Kobe fans for this breakdown though, I hope you enjoy, this took a lot of time…. I update this comparison every single year when Kobe’s season ends! Donate so I can continue to dedicate the time it takes to update this!
When you combine the playoffs and regular season, Michael Jordan played in 1,251 games, Kobe Bryant has played in 1,311. Let’s see if Kobe has even come close to accomplishing what Michael Jordan accomplished…..Remember, Kobe has played in 60 more games than Michael, he should be way ahead of him if he’s better. You can’t deny facts folks, don’t even try…
Rookie of the Year
Michael Jordan: Yes (Led his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals)
Kobe Bryant: No
All-Rookie First Team
Michael Jordan: Yes
Kobe Bryant: No
Seasons over 30 points per game:
Michael Jordan: 8
Kobe Bryant: 2
Seasons over 32 points per game:
Michael Jordan: 5
Kobe Bryant: 1
Regular season: Seasons under 50% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 15
Michael Jordan: 9
Seasons under 48% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 15
Michael Jordan: 5
Seasons over 50% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 0
Michael Jordan: 6
Seasons over 52% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 0
Michael Jordan: 4
Regular season: Games with under 50% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 489
Kobe Bryant: 678
Regular season: Games with under 48% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 458
Kobe Bryant: 651
Regular season: Games with under 46% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 388
Kobe Bryant: 578
Regular season: Games with under 44% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 296
Kobe Bryant: 490
Regular season: Games with under 42% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 234
Kobe Bryant: 426
Regular season: Games with under 40% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 158
Kobe Bryant: 344
Regular season: Games with under 35% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 88
Kobe Bryant: 207
Regular season: Games with under 30% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 41
Kobe Bryant: 107
Regular season: Games with 60% or better shooting:
Michael “Air” Jordan: 173
Kobe “Bean” Bryant: 129
Regular season: Games with 50% or better shooting:
Michael “Air” Jordan: 556
Kobe “Bean” Bryant: 425
Regular season: Games with 20 shots made on 60% or better shooting:
MJ: 16
Kobe: 3
Regular season: Games with 50 points & less than 10 free throw attempts:
MJ: 3
Kobe: 1
NBA Playoffs: 50 point or higher games:
Kobe: 1
MJ: 8
NBA Playoffs: 40 point or higher games:
Kobe: 11
MJ: 38
NBA Playoffs: 30 point or higher games:
Kobe: 81
MJ: 109
Regular season & Playoffs combined 40 point or higher games:
MJ: 211
Kobe: 118
Regular season & Playoffs combined 30 point or higher games:
MJ: 671
Kobe: 441
Regular season Games with 40 points and under 50% shooting:
MJ: 29
Kobe: 45
(Almost half of Kobe’s 40 point games involved missing more shots than made ones).
Regular Season Turnovers:
Kobe: 3228 in 1103 games
MJ: 2924 in 1072 games
Regular season: 50 point games with under 50% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 1 of his 31 games (15-31, 48%)
Kobe Bryant: 6 of his 24 games
Regular season: 50 point games with under 45% shooting:
Michael Jordan: 0
Kobe Bryant: 3
Kobe has only 7 career 50 point games or higher against top 10 rated defenses.
Jordan had 22 career 50 point games or higher against top 10 rated NBA defenses.
Check this website for more articles pertaining to the differences in eras and the way defenders were/are allowed to operate.
Scoring Titles:
Michael Jordan: 10
Kobe Bryant: 2
Of course Jordan has the most scoring titles in NBA history.
He also led the league in total points his rookie season, but was third in scoring average.
He is the only player besides Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in a season.
Career Player Efficiency Rating:
Michael Jordan: 27.91
Kobe Bryant: 23.53
Shot made/miss differential stat:
- Each 2 point shot made is worth 1 point.
- Each shot missed is worth negative 1 point (I do not penalize a missed 3 point shot by 1.5 points, merely 1 point).
- Each 3 point shot made is worth 1.5 points.
- 3 pointers are completely factored in to this shot made/missed differential statistical analysis. In fact accurate 3 point shooters have an advantage with this statistic.
SM/MD (shot made/miss differential):
Regular season – Michael Jordan +137.5, Kobe Bryant -1,237
Michael Jordan’s SM/MD is 1,374.5 points higher, which is a mountain of a difference. That’s like comparing the grand canyon to a crack in a sidewalk.
NBA Playoff runs under 50% shooting:
Kobe: 14 (every year)
MJ: 8
NBA Playoff runs over 50% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 0 (never)
Michael Jordan: 5
NBA Playoff runs under 48% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 13
Michael Jordan: 6
NBA Playoff runs over 48% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 1
Michael Jordan: 7
NBA Playoff runs under 46% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 10
Michael Jordan: 3
NBA Playoff runs under 44% shooting:
Kobe Bryant: 6
Michael Jordan: 2
NBA Playoff runs over 30ppg:
Kobe Bryant: 4
Michael Jordan: 12
NBA Playoff runs over 32ppg:
Kobe Bryant: 2
Michael Jordan: 8
NBA Playoff runs over 34ppg:
Kobe Bryant: 0 (never)
Michael Jordan: 7
NBA Finals averages for their careers:
Michael Jordan 33.6ppg 6.0reb 5.9ast 48.0%fg 36.8%3pt
Kobe Bryant 25.3ppg 5.7reb 5.0ast 41.2%fg 31.3%3pt
Pau Gasol 17.3ppg 10.4reb 3.2ast 1.7blk 52.8%fg
Scottie Pippen 18.9ppg 8.3reb 5.9ast 40.9%fg 25.9%3pt
Shaq (as a Laker) 33.6ppg 14.1reb 3.0ast 2.4blk 60.2%fg
Kobe (with Shaq) 22.1ppg 5.2reb 4.6ast, 1.0blk 41.6%fg
“[Bryant] told Jackson that O’Neal’s presence on the team would affect his decision to stay with the Lakers, adding, “I’m tired of being a [sidekick],”
Let’s never forget that Kobe Bryant RAN SHAQ OUT OF L.A. Don’t let the post freeze out get lost in the shuffle of media propaganda and Kobe’s lies.
Kobe has been out performed by teammates in 5 out of his 7 NBA Finals appearances, Michael Jordan was never out performed by a teammate. Michael Jordan never had a teammate average over 20.0ppg in any NBA Finals who shot a higher percentage than him, Kobe’s had a teammate do this 4 times (Gasol doesn’t get enough shot attempts or it would be 7 times).
Michael Jordan consistently raised his team’s level of play, while Kobe Bryant hinders his team’s level of play by consistently missing so many shots. Michael Jordan carried his team consistently, and on the flip side Kobe Bryant’s team carries him consistently.
When Kobe Bryant’s team faulters, and he isn’t able to raise their level of play as a leader, you see Kobe Bryant’s team do things like get swept by the Mavericks in the 2011 Playoffs and lose the elimination game by 36 points.
Record as team leader
Michael Air Jordan: 640-290 (.688)
Kobe Bean Bryant: 357-249 (.589)
Postseason as team leader:
Michael Air Jordan: Missed postseason 0 times in 13 seasons
Kobe Bryant: Missed postseason 1 time in 7 seasons
Michael Jordan’s teams were never eliminated after full seasons from Jordan when he had a championship caliber team around him, Kobe Bryant’s teams have lost twice in the playoffs with him as the leader and he had championship caliber teammates.
NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards:
Michael Jordan: 6 in 6 tries
Kobe Bryant: 2 in 7 tries
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with 12 or more assists:
Michael Air Jordan: 32
Kobe Bryant: 21
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with 10 or more assists:
Michael Air Jordan: 87
Kobe Bean Bryant: 79
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with 5 or more assists:
Michael Air Jordan: 663
Kobe Bean Bryant: 634
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with less than 3 assists:
Michael Air Jordan: 179
Kobe Bryant: 281
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with less than 2 assists:
Michael Air Jordan: 61
Kobe Bryant: 148
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with 0 assists:
Michael Air Jordan: 7
Kobe Bryant: 59
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with at least 15 rebounds:
Michael Air Jordan: 10
Kobe Bryant: 5
Regular season & Playoffs combined Games with at least 12 rebounds:
Michael Air Jordan: 66
Kobe Bryant: 30
Percentage of points scored on free throws:
Michael Air Jordan: 22.9%
Kobe Bryant: 25.2%
Record in games with 30+ shot attempts:
Michael Air Jordan: 72-57 (.558)
Kobe Bean Bryant: 48-63 (.432) MJ shot his team to wins, Kobe shoots his team out of wins.
Seasons with at least 200 steals:
Michael Air Jordan: 6
Kobe Bryant: 0
Seasons with at least 150 steals:
Michael Air Jordan: 9
Kobe Bryant: 2
Seasons with at least 100 blocks:
Michael Air Jordan: 2
Kobe Bryant: 0
Seasons with at least 75 blocks:
Michael Air Jordan: 4
Kobe Bryant: 0
Defensive Player of the Year awards
Michael Jordan: 1
Kobe Bryant: 0
Michael averaged 35 points per game when he won defensive player of the year.
The next closest scorer to win it had 27 ppg. Guards rarely receive Defensive Player of the Year. Think of energy it takes to lead the league in scoring, and be the league’s best defender.
Olympic Gold Medals
Michael Jordan: 2
Kobe Bryant: 1
Michael Jordan is one of three players to win an Olympic gold as both an amateur (1984) and professional (1992). The other players are Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin, who did it with him.
All Star Game:
Jordan’s 40 points in 1988 is still the second most points in an All-Star Game behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 42.
Jordan also recorded the only All-Star Game triple double in NBA history in 1997,
LeBron later repeated this feat in 2011.
Kobe Bryant has 4 all-star MVP awards, tied for the all time record.
Steals Titles
Michael Jordan: 3
Kobe Bryant: 0
Jordan was the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both scoring and steals.
He achieved this feat three times. The only other player to do it is Allen Iverson.
Jordan was the first player in NBA history to record 200 steals and 100 blocks in a season.
He performed this feat in back-to-back seasons, making him the only player to achieve it multiple times.
Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen later achieved 200 steals and 100 blocks in one season.
Jordan is the fourth player in NBA history to win a scoring title and an NBA championship in the same season, which he did all six times.
In 1996, Jordan became the second player in NBA history to sweep the MVP awards (regular season, NBA Finals, All-Star Game) after Willis Reed.
He would sweep them again in 1998, making him the only player to do it multiple times.
Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to the best regular season and combined regular season and postseason records in NBA history.
Michael Jordan scored in double digits in all but one game as a Chicago Bull out of 1,109 total games.
Michael Jordan game winning shot attempts was 33 out of 58, which is a 56.9% shooting percentage, while Kobe has attempted more game winners, according to the facts, Kobe is a 27% career shooter in game winning situations.
Michael Jordan has the most known game winning shots of any player in NBA history. He has by far the highest conversion rate in the clutch.
Kobe Bryant is not among the top 100 players all time in assists per game.
Michael Jordan is. He’s #82 in assists per game and #36 in assists.
Michael Jordan is #3 all time in rebounding by a guard (behind Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson).
Michael Jordan is #3 all time in steals per game, Kobe is #36 all time in steals per game.
Michael Jordan is #2 all time in total steals, Kobe Bryant is #18 all time in total steals.
Michael Jordan is #1 all time in blocks by a guard. Kobe Bryant isn’t even in the top 10 all time blocks by a guard.
Kobe Bryant is not among the top 10 players all time in points per game.
Michael Jordan is #1 all time in points per game and #3 in points.
In the 2011 NBA Playoffs, Kobe Bryant had a 91+ million dollar roster with his Lakers, Kobe Bryant’s Lakers were swept by the Dallas Mavericks and blown out in game 4 by 36 points.
Rest assured that under today’s rules for perimeter players, with the supporting cast that Kobe has, Michael Jordan would have led the Lakers past Dallas and there wouldn’t have been any 36 point blowout games.
This comparison becomes more lopsided every single year!
As you can see, it would take Kobe 3 full careers to truly eclipse Michael Jordan. He’s so far off he has absolutely no chance to pass Michael Air Jordan whatsoever…